Road rage
by Quack says the T-shape
Summary: Momo's road rage leads to Ryoma falling off the back of the bike, and Momo doesn't notice. Annoyed, Ryoma swears to never ride with Momo again.


Little known fact: Momo has road rage.

It wasn't well known, as he only had a bike, so the only one who really knew was Ryoma, who was frequently on the back of the bike. Hell, Ryoma didn't think _Momo_ knew he had road rage. But he did.

They'd be driving along, and a car would cut in front of Momo, who'd then swear, and put all his energy into overtaking the car travelling at 30mph, a feat he'd usually manage when the car got caught up in traffic. He'd then smirk triumphantly, and swear/grin/wave at the driver who'd annoyed him.

Riding on the back of a bike with Momo took some getting used to, and there were still some moments of panic when he lost his grip on Momo; but everytime, Momo would realise and slow down, and somehow manage to grab him before he fell off.

But when he was pissed and trying to catch a car, he seemed to lose his awareness of Ryoma on the back; he seemed to forget he was there.

Which was what had just happened. A Ford Focus had made the mistake of nearly swerving Momo off the road, and the boy had cursed and shot after him, down a hill, taken a corner sharply, and Ryoma had fallen off.

And Momo hadn't even _noticed_. That's what had pissed of Ryoma, as he sat in a minor state of shock on the side of the road. He had got a nasty bang to the side and a cut on his knee, which was started to hurt more and more.

It didn't occur to him to stand up. There were only two thoughts running round his head: 'I just fell of a bike' and 'I just fell of a bike and Momo didn't notice'. He was annoyed, and his leg was bleeding. He poked it, then winced when it hurt. Which shouldn't have surprised him, but it did.

"Echizen!!"

Ryoma dispassionately watched as a panicked-looking Momo streamed round the corner, and braked suddenly in front of Ryoma, who stared up at him. Momo was panting hard, and looked concerned.

Ryoma glared up at him.

"A-are you okay?"

Deciding to ignore Momo, Ryoma stood up, legs shaking slightly, and not thinking about the throbbing pain in his side and knee, he picked up his school and tennis bag, and started to walk down the road.

"Ah, c'mon. Don't be like that…I won't go so fast…Look, you're gonna be late." Momo was cycling slowly beside him.

Ryoma didn't even shrug at him, just kept walking, trying to hide the pain from his face, as he was trying so hard not to limp it was hurting more.

"Look, you're in pain." Momo peddled onto the pavement and blocked his path. "Just get on, and let me take you to school. Then you can get your leg patched up, okay?"

Ryoma started to walk around Momo and his bike.

"If you walk on it anymore you might be out of tennis for a few days."

Momo had done it; released the trump card. Tennis. This was unfair.

But still true, so, glaring to make sure Momo understood he was still pissed, Ryoma climbed onto the back of the bike.

"Right." Momo set off at a steady, slow pace, and they arrived at morning practice 10 minutes late.

Ryoma stepped off the bike, and began to walk towards the club house, intent on patching himself up and ignoring Momo, who was yelling at him to stop and not ignore him.

"Echizen."

Tezuka managed to ask in one word, 'Why are you late, and what's wrong with your knee?'

Ryoma turned. "Ask Momo."

Ryoma saw his captain's eyebrows rise, but he ignored it and went to go to the club room, but Tezuka stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, and directed him around to the courts, where he called to Oishi. The vice-captain came over, and looked concerned at Ryoma's knee.

"Patch him up, Oishi." The teen nodded, and Ryoma was forced to sit and endure prodding and poking from Oishi, as Eiji bounced around in the background, asking what was going on.

After his cut had been covered, he glanced over and saw Momo running laps. When he got round to where Ryoma was sat, Oishi was telling Ryoma to skip this mornings practice, and they'd see how it was in the afternoon. Momo stopped and asked, "You okay, Echizen?"

Ryoma noticed that he looked guilty, and was biting his lip nervously. Whatever, it was the idiot's fault anyway. He should probably tell him what he'd decided a few minutes before.

"I'm never riding with you again."

Momo looked stricken, and opened his mouth to protest, but Tezuka's yell to carry on with his laps stopped him, and he reluctantly started running again, periodically looking over at Ryoma.

"So, you fell of Momo's bike?"

Ryoma nodded at Eiji. "Was he going too fast?"

Ryoma nodded again. "Ahh…what if he promises to ride slower? He did right, after you fell off?"

Ryoma jerked his head in response. But he didn't say anything else. Because for whatever reason, he wasn't so annoyed at the fact he'd fallen off (They were two teens on a bike, it was bound to happen sooner or later), he was more annoyed about the fact Momo hadn't noticed.

"Idiot…" Ryoma mumbled under his breath, as he stood up and headed to his classroom. If he couldn't play tennis, there was no point in staying any longer.

Momo looked to have finished his laps, and yelled for Ryoma to wait, but he kept going.

He couldn't explain why he was so unreasonably pissed off, so he stopped thinking about it.

* * *

"You're not gonna ride with Momo again?"

Ryoma glanced at Fuji, and continued with his practice. He had gone through the whole day ignoring Momo, and his many apologises and promises.

"No, I'm not."

"He's really sorry…and he says he'll never go too fast again…"

Ryoma shrugged.

"You'll have to get up earlier, you know." Ryoma winced slightly. He did know. He had realised it in History, and had then spent the lesson glaring at the person in front of him.

But what time did Momo have to get up? Ryoma kinda lived on his route to school…in a round-about sort of way. Picking up Ryoma probably added about 15 minutes to his journey, and Momo did that every morning for him?

Ryoma huffed slightly. Then the boy should be grateful he could sleep in more.

"Why has this annoyed you so much?" Fuji was staring at him with his piercing eyes open; it was disconcerting.

Ryoma shrugged uncomfortably, but after a few minutes, when it became obvious the tensai wasn't going to leave without an answer, Ryoma mumbled out, "He didn't noticed I'd fallen off."

Fuji's smile widened, and Ryoma glared at him. "Ahh…so that's it…"

Ryoma sent a confused gaze at his senpai, but before he could question him, the boy had walked off. Ryoma went back to practice and tried not to think about it.

After practice that day, Ryoma hurried out of the club room faster than Momo, and took a different route home, ensuring the older boy wouldn't follow him and no doubt harass him.

The next morning, he woke up on time; or rather, what had used to be on time. Now, he was late. Hurrying out of the door with a snack bar in one hand and annoyedly trying to return Karupin to the house with the other, Ryoma glanced over at the entrance of his house, and his eyes widened when he saw Momo sitting there on his bike, a slight smile on his face as he watched the boy.

"You know…" He called over. "If we ride, we won't be late."

Ryoma sent him a look, and began to walk, annoyed at the prospect ahead of him. He'd forgotten how long the journey was. And besides…

"If we ride, _I'll_ be late. _You'll_ be on time, _you_ have a _bike_."

Momo grinned at him, and Ryoma looked away. "But, I'm gonna be going on at your pace…which appears to be very slow…"

Ryoma glared at him, but noticed that the boy was slowly pedalling next to him. Idiot.

"You're gonna be late too."

Momo smiled. "Yep."

A few minutes later, and Ryoma discovered it was annoying to walk and have someone cycle beside you at a really slow pace. Maybe he did walk slowly…

"Just….go, you moron."

"Not without you."

Ryoma stopped, and scowled. "You're gonna do this every morning, aren't you?"

Momo grinned, happy that Ryoma had caught on so quickly, and nodded.

Sighing, Ryoma looked at Momo. "Don't cycle too fast."

A look of relief flooded Momo's face, and he nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't notice you fall off." He looked guilty, and was looking at the floor now.

Ryoma was relieved it wasn't just him who thought what mattered the most was that Momo hadn't noticed.

He climbed onto the bike, comfortable with the familiar routine, and Momo set of at an almost happy pace; which Ryoma thought was quite impressive. Only Momo could ride at a happy pace.

He smiled slightly, and hit Momo lightly on his back.

The boy glanced around. "What?"

"You have road rage." Ryoma informed him.

Momo frowned. "I do?"

Ryoma nodded at him.

"Huh…didn't realise…my bad." The boy sounded a bit sheepish, and he turned quickly to Ryoma so he could give him a quick grin.

Ryoma patted Momo's back. "It's no big deal…"

He'd missed this…though what 'this' was he couldn't quite put his finger on...but he felt strangely happy riding with Momo again…

…it was probably because he could get up later.

"Oi, Echizen, I need some help with my English homework, help me out before school would ya?"

"Nope, do it yourself."

"Ah, c'mon!! Help me out!"

"It's due today, isn't it?"

"…pleeeeeeeeeease?"

"…fine…I'll look at it."

"Cool, thanks!"

"But you're paying for burgers tonight."

"Whaaaat? No, unfair! Eiji-senpai can do it…"

Maybe he felt happy riding with Momo because of something else, but Ryoma shrugged it off and pinched Momo where he knew made the boy yelp, and sniggered as the boy cursed and the bike swerved. Ryoma swayed slightly on the back, and Momo's hand flashed back and held the boy firmly in place.

Ryoma didn't want him to let go.


End file.
